Fabulous Encounters #2

Hi you guys! It's been...

Well let's just say that I cut my hair twice and shaved my legs 30 times since the last time, right?

(Yeah 30, I'm italian, so what?)

Ok, so here's the interview with my friend Constance, wearing some outfits right from her amazing closet.

As if her closet wasn't amazing enough, she told me she has left most of her bags and dresses in Germany, at her mother's.

I'm seriously considering renting a german mother with a closet full of MiuMiu myself. Anyway.

The reason why I haven't updated my blog lately is because I got an editorial for a French magazine, and this means a lot of work: finding locations, models, makeup & hair, defining the style with my inseparable Lorraine and then of course shooting.

After the shooting comes the part I dread,

the editing (aka "the part in which your favorite pictures just don't look good together").

And then comes Photoshop, The Almighty.

A picture of my left emisphere - irreversibly damaged, courtesy of Adobe

Hell yeah, I passed the last two weeks in front of my Mac - holding firmly my graphic pen, listening to some trash euro pop and oldies - hoping to see the light.

Classic nerd stuff.

I'm not finished with the retouching yet, thus I haven't seen the light yet.

My complexion is starting to look greenish but I'm pretty sure I can't be synthethysing chlorophyll.

But you guys, you can go out, walk your dog, collect his crap, eat an icecream and do all the things you can't do when you're PhotoWashing your brain away so just please, do me a favor.

Next time someone says "Oh no problem! It can be easily fixed with Photoshop!", do reply on my behalf:

"Uh-uh! SHE will retouch it with Photoshop! "it" doesn't retouch a thing! And no, it ain't easy".

Thank you for clearing that up.

love,

marina hermanovna

ps.

Wanna see my editorial pics? I know! I know! I cannot show you the pics because the magazine comes out in October - till then, just words and maybe a few backstage shots!

;)

- Constance Astbury -

Fashion Designer

Interview & pics by Marina Hermanovna

(Yes, I only interview hot & talented people. I hope you don't mind)

Reminder: click onto my pics to enlarge them

('cause I'm worth it!)

1. Job/age/City your were born/City you live in?
I’m a fashion designer/ stylist/ painter/ creative thinker born in west Berlin. I actually live in L.A.

2. When/how did you decide fashion was your business?
When I got my first italian Vogue, at the age of 13.

3. Favorite designers?
I admire designers who follow the less the market rules – just like Martin Margiela and Miuccia Prada.

boots: Jil Sander

trench: vintage

4. Last purchase, future purchase?
Egyptian gauze wrap-skirt found on a long weekend in the desert of Palm Springs. I only think of the present…

5. If your style was a city/a movie/a dish what would it be?
It would certainly be « La dolce vita » by Federico Fellini.

6. Name a style trend you could never follow or understand.
None ?

7. If your house took fire and you had 30 seconds to pack before escaping, what would you take?
My vintage Playboy sunglasses!

8. What do you build your style around?
My mood determines my style. Mostly.

9. I could live my life in….
Bikinis and havaianas flip flops from Brazil.

©MARA

dress: Givenchy

shoes: vintage Stella Mc Cartney

10. Name three items or trends you’ll never be caught wearing.
Never say never…

11. Some girls buy too may shoes, others are bagaholics. I know one who has 100 bras. What’s your fashion bulimia ?
Boots! I just can’t get me enough boots…

12. Tell me the three colors, three fabrics and the three brands you wear more often.
Black, Lila and Off White / Right now it's Givenchy, Balenciaga and Prada.

13. My youth fashion faux pas I’m not ashamed to reveal.
None !

14. The best fashion advice I was given.
Just follow your instinct.


15. Personal style icon.
Bianca Jagger.

16. Tell me the name of someone famous whose style is overrated and one whose style is underrated.
I have to be political correct and keep those secrets unpublished.

17. Name a young designer off the chain.
Students in college.

18. When you’re designing you find inspiration in...
People and all medias.

19. Tell me a funny fashion anecdote so we can laugh a little.
Once I had to cut a dress like 3 seconds before the show and then pinn it back together faster than light, and just pretend everything was made on purpose…

dress: Prada

shoes: vintage Marni

20. Fashion advice you want to give men.
Follow what suits your personality.

21. Miniskirt past 40, what are your feelings?
If you have the body and you know how to rock it, go for it.

22. How do you do your makeup; what about yout hair, how do you wear it/take care of it?
I love Shiseido's makeup. As for hair, I use products from Hawaii to keep it smooth.

23. My all time favorite beauty products and fragrances.
YSL nail polish and Odeur 54.

24. Cheap & chic : your feelings towards vintage and thrift shops.
Love ‘em ! One of my inspiration meccas.

25. H&M or Zara ?
No no no, I’d rather find something more original at thrift stores.

26. What’s the worst/best part of your job ?
When styles come out differently then you expected but in a surprisingly bad way…
And the best part is when everybody goes 'AHHHH' 'ooohhhhhh' 'amazing’ and any other word from the “joy vocabulary” - and all sorts of happy expressions on different faces. That speaks for itself.

Fabulous Encounters #1

I know, I know.

dress: New Look

necklace: vintage

cat: one of a kind

I haven't been posting for ages - I'm sorry. I've been preparing the first of our three upcoming Fashion Encounters, which, together with my occasional working to pay for my spaghetti, made it impossible to update this blog. Up till now!

But  I'm back, chattier than ever, with a whole lotta pictures -  hoping you'll just give me some love in return. 

Soon enough I'll be posting the other two interviews/photoshoots I've been bragging about lately, one with a male model and the other with a very special fashion designer. 

You know you can't wait!  ;)

Marina Hermanovna

Fabulous Encounters n.1

 Lorraine Cassen - fashion editor

Interview by Marina Hermanovna 

Plume, Lorraine's cat, wasn't too pleased with the photoshoot

1. Job/age/City your were born/City you live in?

I'm 24 and I've always lived in Paris. I'm a fashion editor for magazines such as Enjoy, Dandy, L'Homme.

2. When did you decide your future was in the fashion industry?

After 3 years studying litterature, I had the opportunity to get a summer job at DS magazine. And that was it.

3. Favourite designers?

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Christian Lacroix and of course Balenciaga.

So he managed to hide while the weird stranger kept blinking his big black eye

4. Last purchase, future purchase.

Two weeks ago I bought a pair of leather and wood sandals at Zara. Right now I'm dreaming of glads with heels, but I haven't found the perfect ones yet.

5. If your style was a city/a movie/a dish what would it be ?

Definitely Paris. Even if it sounds a bit cliché Paris is the most beautiful city in the world, and here women have an incredible style, as you can see on our blog. If I could live in a movie, I would choose Grease for the party dresses, the retro glasses and the perfect brushings. If my style was a dish, it would be an ice cream with whipped cream on top : colorful, girly and sweet.

Let's continue our investigation into this girl's closet, shall we?

6. A style trend you could never follow or understand.

Urban streetwear style, like Marithé and François Girbaud... it might be charming on some girls, but it just doesn't work for me.

We've found the body of evidence: this girl is a huge fashion victim!

7. If your house took fire and you had 30 seconds to pack before escaping, what would you take? 

My cat, Plume.

8. What do you build your style around?

First I choose the shoes and some accessories; the rest of the look just follows.

9. I could live my life in….

Jeans, especially skinny: I think they are elegant and comfy.

10. Name three items or trends you'll never be caught wearing.

Ballerinas, and others flat shoes. Baggy jeans. And red, that looks awful with my blond hair (aside from accessories).

11. Some girls buy too may shoes, others are bagaholics. I know one who has 100 bras. What's your fashion bulimia?

I can't resist scarfs, I must own at least 50, and I keep buying more!

12. Tell me the three colors, three fabrics and the three brands you wear more often.

I wear mostly black, yellow and my beloved pink. As for fabrics I wear denim, cotton and cashmere. My favourite brands are H&M, New Look and N2 jewels.

13. My youth fashion faux pas I'm not ashamed to reveal.

I've made many faux pas, because I've tried anything. But the combo miniskirt + fishnet stockings and stilettos takes the cake. Or maybe baggy jeans with a big Nike / Schott logo sweater... this used to be cool when I was fifteen. I'm just sayin'.

14. The best fashion advice you were given?

Color on your nails is good for your mood!

15. Personal style icon.

Kate Moss, Agyness Deyn, Cameron Diaz.

top and bracelets: H&M

skinny jeans: Cheap Monday

sandals: Bruno Frisoni

wristwatch: vintage

hat: Sandro (not visible in this pic!)

16. Tell me the name of someone famous whose style is overrated and one whose style is underrated.

Cameron Diaz always looks amazing on the red carpet. She can make a jumpsuit look expensive. Kylie Minogue has the worst look for me: granny in the daytime, blah at night.

17. Name a young designer off the chain.

Gareth Pugh, but he's already big in the UK.

18. When designing you find inspiration in...

I'm afraid I cannot design… I'm absolutely hopeless.

(To be fair that's my fault: she's a stylist not a designer - I should have asked her a different question! )

19. Tell me a funny fashion anecdote so we can laugh a little.

Spaghetti straps just don't like sitting on my shoulders, I guess. They tend to pop in the middle of the street, of course when I'm on my way to work and possibly late.

20. Fashion advice you want to give men.

Steer clear of hair products and huge baggy jeans. Try instead handbags and V neck t-shirts.

21. Miniskirt past 40, what are your feelings?

If the legs are OK why not? A woman can be beautiful at any age.

top: vintage

vest, pants  and necklace: H&M

bracelets: Claire's

sandals: Zara

22. How do you do your makeup? What about your hair, how do you wear it/take care of it?

I'm a make up addict, I can't see myself going out without powder, blush, flashy eyeshadow, khôl, mascara and lipstick. I bleach my hair so I must take care of it; I use moisturizing masks from Mizani.

23. My all time favorite beauty products and fragrances.

I'm addicted... to Dior Addict! I think it's sexy. And I'm also a fan of AquaEyes crayons from Make Up for Ever: fancy colors, easy to apply.

24. Cheap & chic: your feelings towards vintage and thrift shops.

I'm crazy about vintage and I love going to thrift shops and markets where I can find unique items for a few euros.

sweater, bracelets and T-shirt: H&M

shorts: New Look

platform sandals: Fornarina

25. H&M or Zara? 

H&M forever. They have the best styles, prices and quality.

26. What's the most difficult part of your job?

To deal the with the big ego of oh so many people…

Meow!